


Questions and Answers

by WyrmLivvy



Category: Smallville, Superman - All Media Types, Superman: The Animated Series
Genre: Drama, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Female Character of Color, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Male Character of Color, Male-Female Friendship, Romance, Secret Identity, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 07:40:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6973759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WyrmLivvy/pseuds/WyrmLivvy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of interactions results in Clark Kent becoming friends with the last person he thought he would ever strike up a friendship with - Lex Luthor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Questions and Answers

**Author's Note:**

> content warnings: for this entire fic, general warnings for racism and transphobia, and situations/mentions of stuff adoptees might be triggered or made uncomfortable by. assimilation angst. 
> 
> I really struggled with this one. 
> 
> idk how to explain this except that it's a different version of "All's Fair on Love and War"/TLC verse and Clark and Lois are still trans except I did some racebending so now they are people of color. So is Lex, and he is still cis. But at the time this fic starts he and Lois have already broken up. (This fic will mention past Lex/Lois and Clark having a crush on Lois.) 
> 
> So I'm doing my usual thing of going for whatever canons I wish and usually Smallville is the strong core but this one's odd because there's no Smallville friendship background (Gasp!) but it is still Smallville influenced. Lana is based on Smallville Lana and The Animated Series Lana. I am forever bitter at how whitewashed she was in Smallville.
> 
> The Clex will start out as strangers/enemies turning to friends and it's slow burn but for sure they will turn into lovers. 8)

Clark’s at a party celebrating the release of a new fashion line from Lana Lang Fashions, the world famous fashion house run by his childhood friend, having decided to attend to support her with his presence. He stayed in corners and didn’t stand out much, beside being possibly the most unfashionable person present. He liked to think his current suit was a step above the ones he usually wore to work but that wasn’t saying much. 

He still manged to be drawn into a conversation with another guest. Said guest, his current conversation partner, kept looking at his face. 

It distracted Clark, who wondered at the reason for the interest. Clark consistently passed for a cis man but it still bothered him when he was looked at too intently. Irrationally, he wondered if someone was going to suddenly make the connection that plain Clark Kent was the powerful Superman. But that was ridiculous, most people did not even think Superman had a secret identity, but simply existed as himself. 

They had been discussing the designs of the clothing and how Lana had integrated aspects of her Chinese and French heritage when suddenly the familiar and annoying question suddenly sprang upon him and Clark understood why his face had been scrutinized.

“So, where are you from?” 

“Kansas.” Clark answered reflexively. 

“Canton?” The man smiled, like he had won some victory. “I knew it! You’re Chin-”

“ _Kan - sas_.” Clark repeated, annoyed that what he had said was misheard as the southern Chinese province. “I grew up in a town called Smallville specifically.”

The guest frowned at having his presumed victory lost. “Oh…well, where are your parents from?” 

Clark held back his sigh. This game again. The party-goer was trying to pinpoint what kind of Asian he was. He could list all the countries on Earth and still be wrong. Besides China, people have frequently guessed or assumed Korea, Japan, Vietnam... but Clark’s biological parents weren’t even from the same solar system. 

“My dad grew up in Smallville, but my mom was from Metropolis before she settled down to live with him.” Clark answered. This was all true. His parents were American and he was too. 

The frown deepened. “From where do your ancestors hail?” 

Oh, for the love of god. Clark struggled to be patient. Somebody needed to be saved. Either Clark, or his interrogator - from him. 

“Smallville.” Clark said again, because the Kent farm had been in his family for generations. 

“Uh…” The man was momentarily stunned and likely thinking of another way to phrase his question so he would hear what he wanted to. 

Clark frowned as the man’s gaze turned to Clark’s press pass. He was only really noticing it now. 

“Oh, I mean, Mr. Kent. What country did your adoptive parents get you from?” 

Get him? Like he was some imported product? Anger swirled in Clark’s mind and he clenched his fists. He tried to find calmness. 

“I believe Kent here is from Smallville.” Said an authoritative and familiar sounding voice interrupted. “He’s only said so three times.” 

_My hero._ Clark thought before he turned around and really connected who had interrupted the situation. 

It was Lex Luthor, dressed in a tux and holding an amber drink. 

Clark’s conversation partner, whom Clark no longer wanted to converse with, blushed in embarrassment. He excused himself to the bathroom. 

“Thanks.” Clark said, because even if it was Lex Luthor, who regularly made his job as Superman variously complicated and painful, he did just rid Clark of a nuisance. But now he was suspicious about why Luthor had interrupted. Their paths hardly ever crossed, at least while Clark was in his civilian guise. Why would Lex have helped unless he had something to gain from Clark? 

“You’re quite a patient person, Kent.” Lex said in a tone that sounded like he might as well have said _You’re quite the doormat, Kent._

“Thanks.” Clark said, before he winced, realizing that he had repeated himself rather unhelpfully. He wondered where Lex’s date was and why he wasn’t bothering her instead. Or Lois. Clark doubted Lex would be at this party if it wasn’t for his ex-girlfriend’s presence. Clark had seen Lex enter with his current date (noticeably now not by his side), who looked like the women he usually dated - pale, tall and leggy brunette supermodels with straight hair and green eyes. Lois had been different - brown, short and chubby, with curly dark hair, and brown eyes. Ironically, Lois was currently dating Lana, who looked like the type of women Lex usually dated. 

“Just how much iterations would you have let that cretin get away with?” Lex asked. 

“I was kind of hoping he’d stop by himself at some point.” Clark said sheepishly. “But thanks for stepping in and stopping it. I’m not ungrateful…but why?”

“I’ve been on your end in such situations.” Lex said. “Except what I hear is _what are you_?”

“Ah.” Clark said. Lex had an ambiguous look. Clark recalled a notable event that happened after Lex’s father Lionel Luthor, had passed away and Lex had gained control of his company LuthorCorp, renaming it LexCorp. A particularly conservative newspaper had printed that Lex was southern Italian and Greek in order to explain away his brown skin because they were in denial about the fact that such an expansive corporation was now in non-white hands. Lex had struck back, granting Lois Lane an interview where he made it very clear that he was African-American and did not appreciate having his heritage erased. Clark remembered that Lex and Lois had started dating after that interview,

“By the way Kent, what are you?” Lex asked, smiling ironically. Lex finished what remained of his Scotch.

Clark didn’t always mind people trying to figure out what his ethnicity was, but he did care if it was asked in a way that beat around the bush, or masked motives. He never had an answer for them. Too much of the time it was people being unable to figure out what stereotypes and assumptions to apply and what box to shove Clark into, but wanting to find out. 

In Lex’s case it didn’t appear he expected Clark to answer or even really cared about Clark’s answer because he had turned to look in the direction where Lana and Lois were dancing together. 

Clark looked as well. He couldn’t see Lois’ face, only her dark corkscrew curls, and her head was rested against Lana’s shoulder, the two of them slow dancing. 

Clark recalled that on his first day at the Daily Planet, Lois had straightforwardly asked him what his ethnicity was. There weren’t much instances Clark thought being asked was appropriate, but one was if the person asking was looking for community. Clark had said he didn’t know because his birth parents were not known. She had noticed his discomfort and apologized before changing the topic to herself. She explained that she had asked because she was Korean and wondered if Clark was - if they shared a culture and heritage. 

Clark had been surprised, but that had explained her accent. She said that her mother was Korean. Her father was African-American and had been stationed at a base in South Korea and that was how he met her mother there. While she received influence from her American father visiting regularly between working on his military career, Lois had grown up with her mother’s family, thus her formative years were spent in South Korea. She had moved to the US at age fourteen. 

It would become a pattern, when Clark was with Lois on the field for people to get surprised when Clark spoke a standard Midwest English while Lois was the one with the audible accent. They looked between Clark and Lois in such a way that even without speech, conveyed their thoughts - like they couldn't quite believe what they were hearing and thought that the accent should be emerging from Clark’s lips. 

Clark thought about the first time he had tagged along with Lois to interview someone who had requested a Korean speaker. He had made the mistake of arriving first and the interviewee started speaking to Clark though Lois wasn’t present. 

Clark Kent only spoke and understood English fluently. Otherwise he knew some Spanish from high school and bits of French and Chinese that had Lana taught him. Superman could speak and understand hundreds of languages with assistance from the Fortress of Solitude’s AI and a practically invisible communicator attached to his ear. Kal-El struggled to learn Kryptonese when he only had the Fortress’ AI and the ghost of his biological father it held to practice speaking it with.

“I don’t know Korean.” Clark had interrupted and Clark still remembered the look of disappointment on the man’s face. 

_Stupid Americanized boy. Doesn’t even know his language._ Clark had understood the general meaning of the words spoken in Korean because the communicator had been in his ear. 

“I'm not Korean." Clark said, while pretending he was just saying that and it wasn't a response to the man's words which he was not suppose to understand. "My partner is so let’s wait until she gets here.” Clark had said while gesturing at the door. 

Clark realized that he while thinking about Lois he hadn’t stopped looking in her direction. Clark turned to Lex and saw that at some point earlier the man had stopped looking at Lois and had looked back to Clark only to see that he had also been looking in her direction. 

Clark noticed that Lex now held a glass of wine. Clark wondered how much drinks Lex had so far this night - the man was certainly drunk. His attention was currently wholly focused on Clark. They made eye contact. 

Clark broke it first, suddenly finding his own brown oxfords interesting. “I don’t know.” Clark mumbled. “My birth parents didn’t leave that information.” This was technically a lie. Lex had asked _what are you_ not _what ethnicity are you_. Clark wasn’t a part of any human ethnic group but ever since he became a teenager and his adoptive father had shown him the spaceship he had arrived to Earth on, Clark had known he was a Kryptonian because of the message left in the vessel. He was the last one in fact. 

“The loss must pain you.” Lex said nonchalantly. 

“H-Huh?” Clark stammered, wondering if Lex gained telepathic powers somehow. Maybe he produced it for himself in a lab. Clark didn’t doubt Lex’s capabilities. 

“I mean growing up, your adoptive parents must have not connected you to your heritage. You were raised without knowledge of your culture. And you can’t even speak the language. So you’re cut off from millions of people you’d otherwise be connected to.”

Clark flinched because Lex had essentially cut him where he had been wounded before. What was it about Lex and his ability to get at his weaknesses? Clark also bristled at Lex’s accusatory tone and immediately felt defensive of his parents though the statements held truth. 

“It wasn’t their fault.” Clark said. “They didn’t know and they still tried. I grew up celebrating the Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival with Lana and her family.” He searched for Lana and found her seated by Lois. They were holding hands and chatting with smiles on their faces. 

Clark glanced to see that Lex had sighted them as well.

“Oh?” Lex said curiously. 

Clark turned to Lex as Lex faced him. 

“So not only are you also from Smallville, you’re that close to Lana Lang?” Lex asked. 

“We’re childhood friends.” Clark said. 

“Why don’t you stop by and say hi to her?” Lex said, throwing his arm over Clark’s shoulder. The contact surprised Clark who suspected if Lex was sober he wouldn’t be so casual, nor would he be so obvious about wanting Clark to disturb Lana’s time together with Lois. 

“I already did earlier.” Clark said, shrugging. Lex dropped his arm and Clark found himself disappointed by the loss of weight and warmth. 

“How did you become friends with her?” Lex asked. 

Clark thought. It was a long time ago but he still remembered the general context. “When I was little I was separated from my parents.” Clark said. “A grownup found me and I explained what happened. They said they would get me back to my parents but…”

“Let me guess. They put you with people who weren’t your parents - but Lana’s. Because you did not look like the Kents, your parents.” 

“How did you - ” How did Lex know? 

“Did you cry alot? Did you think you would be separated from your parents forever?” Lex asked, half-teasing, half-serious. And ignoring Clark’s question. 

“Yes.” Clark admitted. Those actions and thoughts had happened during that crisis. “I actually didn’t like Lana the first time I met her because I was freaking out.” 

The grownup who found Clark thought that Lana’s parents were his parents until Clark said they weren’t and that he wanted to be with the Kents. The person had gone to find the Kents and while waiting Clark hung out with Lana until his parents had been found and sent to where he was. 

“I didn’t resemble my white father.” Lex said. 

Clark wondered why Lex was telling him this until he realized that Lex was answering his earlier question. 

“As a child there was an instance where I was separated from my father at a crowded event.” Lex said. “A nice couple offered to help me find my parents again. And when faced with dad…I said: “this man is not my father.” They believed me.”

Lex didn’t allow Clark time to respond. He suddenly walked in Lana and Lois’ direction, likely intending to be disruptive since he couldn’t get Clark to be. 

Clark put himself in Lex’s path. The CEO frowned once he realized he could not get the bespectacled reporter to move aside. 

“She’s not over me.” Lex said, frowning because Clark Kent was successfully dragging him to a corner away from his target destination. His grip was surprisingly strong. 

_You’re projecting._ Clark thought. _You’re the one not over Lois._ “Sure.” Clark said condescendingly, releasing Lex because he had blocked him off into a corner. 

Lex must have sensed Clark’s skepticism because he began to elaborate. “Miss Lang’s famous, wealthy and beautiful. A businesswoman at the head of her own fashion house.” 

Clark was surprised by Lex unexpectedly complimenting his rival, but Clark still thought Lex’s logic had issues. 

“What? Then would you believe Lois moved on if after breaking up with you she dated someone like…” Clark trailed off trying to think of example. “…me?”

“Someone like you?” Lex said. “Someone like you?” He echoed before he began to crack up. “Lang has 20/20 vision and a strong sense of fashion while you - ”

Lex began to laugh with his whole body. It shook through he was relatively silent, trying to muffle his laughter with the sleeve of his suit. 

"...in what universe would Lois want a guy like you?" Lex asked, followed by a criticism about the style of glasses Clark wore. 

Annoyed at being insulted, Clark decided to provoke Lex into ceasing his laughter, though he'd knew he'd likely pay for it later.

"You're right, Mr. Luthor. There's no way I can be compared to you, or Lana." Clark said. "But most of all, I don't think anyone can be compared to Superman." 

That got Lex's attention. He immediately goes quiet and when he does speak his tone's cold. "There is no comparison because Lana Lang worked to reach where she is now and so did I. Superman’s a dangerous menace - powerful, able to fly and shoot lasers out of his eyes because he was born that way. He hasn't built a thing that - ” 

“Just last week he helped rebuild that bridge.” Clark said, disrupting Lex's tirade. _After the robots you built destroyed it._

“He smashes more than he repairs. No vault, no life is safe from him.” 

“He’s not interested in taking money or lives - ” 

“Oh, he isn’t like that now, but what of tomorrow - who knows what game he’s playing at? And what’s going on in that alien mind of his?” 

_His alien mind wants you to shut up._ Clark thought. 

Lex surprised Clark by placing a hand on Clark's shoulder. He leaned in until his mouth was by Clark's ear.

“You, with work, could even be worthy of her.” Lex said. “But he will never be.” 

Those are the last words Clark heard from Lex that night because once Lex finished speaking, he was led away by a bodyguard. 

Clark sighed. He counted it as a success he had stopped Lex from ruining Lana and Lois’ evening.


End file.
